Fear and Loathing
by itsu-sual
Summary: TFA, following the episode "Transwarped"; Skywarp and Thundercracker find themselves stranded and stuck together. Mostly fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Fear and Loathing (in New Kaon)**

**Pairing: **Thundercracker/Skywarp  
**Universe:** TFA  
**Setting:** During and after "Transwarped", no spoilers, really.

This pairing is just so cute, I had to write something for it. I may or may not continue this, depending on if I have an idea for it. I wrote it in a kind of snapshot-style thing.

* * *

Skywarp is quiet and unhappy while his older, blue clone bickers with the Autobot. The cement - if it even is cement - is slowly creeping into all of their joints and circuits, and not for the first time Skywarp begins to believe he is going to die a slow, painful, and terrifying death as the cement destroys his innards.

He wants to cry out, instinctively, to Thundercracker. He wants his older 'brother' to comfort him, to talk to him, even if only to tell him he's a pathetic glitch that needs to grow a hard drive. But the blue Autobot is arguing with Thundercracker at a thousand miles an hour, and Thundercracker is screeching back in a pitch that would make Starscream proud of him, and Skywarp is too scared to interrupt them.

Then out of nowhere (Skywarp had stopped listening hours ago, lost in his own world of worries), the Autobot has some sort of plan, and Thundercracker acts without thinking. The cement bubbles and bursts, sending Skywarp and the older clone hurtling into a crater.

* * *

The purple seeker shivers miserably.

Inside the crater, still trapped in stasis-cuffs, Thundercracker has abandoned him in favour of chasing the Autobot. The asteroid they transwarped onto is quiet as death - no sound of jet turbines, no sound of Autobots running or racing along the dust. For all Skywarp knows, Thundercracker and the blue Autobot are on a distant planet by now.

He sniffs, pathetically, rubbing the cleansing-fluid dripping from his face as best he can with his bound hands.

Alone and frightened, he curls up in the crater and pretends he isn't there.

* * *

He wakes up to the muffled clicking of turbine heels. Skywarp thrashes randomly for a moment, trying to sit up in the crater, afraid an Autobot has found him - but then the sleep clears from his optics and he sees Thundercracker shuffling towards him, defeated.

The blue clone is scowling, proud face desecrated with tyre marks, every sulky movement betraying his bruised ego.

Skywarp stares at his sort-of-sibling for a moment. The frown on Thundercracker's face frightens him, promising to take out his ire with verbal and physical abuse, and in his panic Skywarp struggles to think of something to avert the impending beating.

* * *

Subconsciously, Thundercracker wanders back towards his fellow clone, letting the pull of the all-spark fragment in his spark chamber guide him. This is the first time he has been defeated. No, not defeated - he won't allow himself to even _think_ the word. The first time he 'let one get away' - much better.

The indignity of it! An _Autobot_, outrunning him, daring to use his handsome face as a launching platform! Outrunning a jet, a seeker, the fastest flier in all of Cybertron - the new, foreign feeling of shame, of disappointment, of failure, is crushing.

Then suddenly something - someone, rather - crashes into him, rubbing at his face with trembling and awkwardly placed fingers.

"Wh-what!?" Thundercracker sputters in shock and surprise, breaking out of his self-pitying reverie to try and bat Skywarp away from him.

"Y-your face!" Skywarp mumbles in a half-whisper, wincing with every swat of the blue hands landing on his arms. "He…he messed up your face. I have to clean your f-face so you won't be…be mad..."

Thundercracker stares at the younger clone blankly. He sighs irritably.

"Stupid…" he growls, a crooked smile ghosting his lips before shoving Skywarp backwards into the crater, almost playfully. "You can't clean my face with your hands in stasis cuffs."

* * *

At last, the stasis-cuffs are off, and Skywarp gratefully shakes his wrists out, inspecting them for any life-threatening scratches or dents. Problem solved, Thundercracker sits back grouchily against the crater-wall, processor wandering back towards his bruised-ego.

The purple clone looks up at the deepening frown on the blue face-plates - directed not at him, for once, but at the dusty ground. As delicately as he can - clumsily and sheepishly - he crawls over to Thundercracker. He drags a shaking finger over the dirty cheeks of the other clone, as if asking for permission.

No reaction.

Gulping, Skywarp shuffles closer, rubbing at the tyre-tracks with his hands.

* * *

"Aren't you done yet!?" Thundercracker snaps, and Skywarp cowers back, raising his arms to protect himself. The blue seeker rolls his eyes and flops back against the crater wall, sighing. "I'm not going to hit you, alright? Not worth my time…"

"Y…you're not?" Skywarp asks carefully, one optic peering over his arms.

"You're just _taking_ so _long_! I would do it much faster! Isn't it gone yet?" the blue seeker grumbles, rubbing at his face-plates irritably.

Purple fingers knit themselves together. "It's…some is gone, just…some tricky bits, won't come off…b-but I have an idea! So…so I'll get it off, don't worry…"

"Fine, just do it," mutters Thundercracker, staring at the younger clone expectantly. Skywarp nods, then leans forwards, pushing his face against the dirty one. The blue seeker flinches in surprise - cheek to cheek, he can feel the purple flier shuddering against him with fear.

"What…exactly, are you doing!?" he chokes out eventually. Skywarp draws back with a small grin - his face is now covered with grime. Thundercracker slaps his forehead in frustration. "Oh you _fool_! You've just gotten it all over your own face now!"

"B-but it's gone from y…yours now," Skywarp protests with misplaced pride, smile widening ever so slightly. "Th-that's the important thing, right?"

Thundercracker raises a hand to his face with surprise, feeling the now smooth, clean surface.

* * *

He can't help it - he does it before he even realizes the code has been executed in his CPU.

He grabs Skywarp and crushes him in his embrace, somehow ignoring every circuit telling him poor, frightened Skywarp isn't worthy to be within a galaxy of him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fear and Loathing (in New Kaon)**

**Pairing: **Thundercracker/Skywarp  
**Universe:** TFA  
**Setting:** During and after "Transwarped", no spoilers, really. References to "A Fistful of Energon" in this chapter.

* * *

"There was another you, you know," Thundercracker says suddenly, breaking the long silence. "Another purple clone of Starscream. He was a turbo-chicken just like you."

Skywarp, nestled comfortably in Thundercracker's lap (at once a scary and comforting place to be, since Thundercracker had inherited Starscream's tendancy to snap without warning), looked up at the older clone.

"I...I d-didin't know that," he says, a little concerned. "Did you say...'w-was'?"

"Of course you didn't know," sniffs Thundercracker haughtily, "I know far more than you, my memory core is superior to yours. And yes - there _was_ another you."

The purple clone's optic twitches, and he fidgets, pressing himself unhappily into Thundercracker's chest. "What happened to h-him? I mean...me?"

"Starscream blew him up," Thundercracker says bluntly, a nasty glint in his optics. Skywarp squeaks, covering his mouth with his fists. "Our 'original copy' tricked Megatron into capturing hi- I mean, _you_. You were a bomb."

Skywarp wails, looking down at his own body in horror. "A-a-a-am I g-gonna b-blow up? Am-m I a b-bomb now too?"

Thundercracker laughs, a harsh cackle, then draws Skywarp back into his lap. "No, glitch," he says smoothly, "that plan didn't work once, Starscream won't try it again. I _obviously_ knew it wouldn't work. But you see, that's why you can't trust Starscream." He plants a brief kiss on Skywarp's forehead, and the frightened seeker clicks like a sparkling at the comforting action.

"W...why can't we trust Starscream? He's our...our creator," he mumbles, raising his fists to his mouth again to hide behind them.

"Tch," Thundercracker rolls his optics, flicking a finger against Skywarp's head. "Do I have to explain _everything_ to you? Starscream is just using us. You're not _safe_ with him," he continues dramatically. "But with me, you're safe. Got that?"

Skywarp scrunches up his face plates, and against his self-preservation program's advice, says in a small voice, "No. Y-you use me too. S...so that means I-I'm not safe with you either."

"What do you mean _I_ use you?" Thundercracker snarls, pushing Skywarp off his lap, and for a moment the purple clone is reminded very much of his white, lying brother.

"You j-just want me as a p-punching bag!" Skywarp says shakily, somehow growing braver and more fearful at the same time. "You just want me around to boost your ego, 'c-cause you think I'm pa...pathetic! And...and you just want compliments! If you w-want compliments the whole time you sh-should make Sunstorm follow you around!"

The blue flier regards the younger clone for a moment. "You're not as stupid as you make yourself out to be, then," he drawls. "But still...not as intelligent as _I _am. Sunstorm, you see, compliments anyone and everyone. Even the Autobots. But I want _you_" - he takes Skywarp's chin in his hands - "for _just_ me. I may use you...but unlike Starscream, _I_ will protect you."

"Protect...me?" Skywarp repeats, optics even wider than usual.

"Protect you," Thundercracker repeats, soft and dangerous. "You won't have to be scared...as long as you follow _me_. Only me."

The purple seeker considers this a moment. Then, slowly, a triumphant, wobbly smile wanders across his faceplates, making Thundercracker frown uneasily. "You need me, don't you?" Skywarp says proudly.

"_What_?" hollers Thundercracker, his voice echoing around the crater they've adopted as home. "_I_ am superior to you! _I don't need anyone_! I'm not a sniffling crybaby that needs someone to hold their hand just to-"

Skywarp cowers back, scooting a little away just in case. "You n-need me," he interrupts, still smiling. "You...you _need_ someone to compare yourself to. You're trying to manipulate me into being that...that mech. I'm n-not stupid."

Then, suddenly bold, quashing the fear bubbling in his processor, Skywarp crawls back into Thundercracker's lap. "It's ok, though," he continues. "I w-won't tell anyone. 'Cause...'cause I need someone too. I need s...someone to protect me. Or I g-get scared. So" - he sighs - "I'll be your punching bag, I'll make you look good. But _you_ have to keep your word. _You _have to protect me."

Thundercracker says nothing, clenching and unclenching his fists. Then, finally, he growls, defeated. "...You promise you won't tell?"

"Uh-huh," Skywarp nods, settling himself against Thundercracker's chest, feeling much safer than he felt a few breems ago in the same place. "Is...is it a deal then?"

Roughly, Thundercracker grabs the purple seeker's chin and kisses him harshly, then breaks it just as suddenly. "_Fine_. But you're _mine_ now, you got it? And...and I'll take good care of what's mine."

Skywarp smiles back, curling up in the older clone's lap, not feeling scared for once.


	3. Chapter 3

**Fear and Loathing (in New Kaon)**

**Pairing: **Thundercracker/Skywarp  
**Universe:** TFA  
**Setting:** During and after "Transwarped", no spoilers, really.

Thank you for all the reviews so far!

* * *

Night comes, eventually. The orbital cycle of the asteroid is erratic - the star it wobbles around is distant and bloated.

With no sunlight to try and glean energy from, Thundercracker orders Skywarp to recharge in their crater.

* * *

Thundercracker's vents whistle softly, the only noise to break the deathly quiet of the night. Skywarp changes his optics to infra-red, observing his fellow clone sleeping across the crater. The blue flier lies on his side, wings folded comfortably, twitching every so often in his recharge.

There is nothing else there - nothing else to give off heat, save Skywarp's own body. He stares at his shivering hands, only now realizing he has been quaking with fear and worry. A small part of Skywarp wishes the other Starscreams were here too; a guarantee of noise and movement.

He worries, now that he has a minute to worry about it, that they were all offlined. Neither he nor Thundercracker have any idea of the outcome of the battle with Megatron.

He scoots closer to the older clone, and tries, again, to sleep.

* * *

"I'm scared," Skywarp announces simply from where he is sitting.

Thundercracker cracks an optic open, rolling over to look at his clone, seeing only darkness. He prods at his optics for a moment before remembering it is still night, and turns on his infra-red scanners.

"You haven't recharged at all, have you?" he replies groggily in a matter-of-fact way, scanning the other mech. "You're wasting energy."

"I'm sc...scared," Skywarp repeats, curling closer in on himself, head between his knees and arms around his torso.

"Don't be," Thundercracker yawns, lying back down.

"...Just like that?" the purple clone asks, optics peering out in the darkness.

"Just like that," the blue flier replies, and goes back to sleep.

* * *

Thundercracker wakes up again to a noise. He rubs at his audios irritably, before listening carefully. Clattering, clanging, like a hollow tin, but soft.

"You _still_ haven't recharged," he says, only barely restraining himself from hitting Skywarp. But there's no reply, and the noise of his shivering continues. Thundercracker sits up, an odd feeling skittering across his processor. "...Skywarp? Answer me when I'm talking to you! Skywarp!"

Two wobbling red lights blink open, staring at Thundercracker sadly.

Instantly, the blue flier drags Skywarp closer to him, pulling him into his arms. "You stupid crybaby," he growls maliciously, hoping Skywarp knows he means it affectionately really. The purple clone practically vibrates in his arms from the silent sobs and sniffles and shivers. Thundercracker pulls him to lie down together on the floor of the crater.

"Stop it," snaps Thundercracker. "Stop shaking. You're wasting even more energy that way. You need to sleep."

He can only barely make out the hollow, tiny voice that wanders up to his audios. "...Scared..."

"Don't be," the blue clone orders for the second time that night, more forcefully now. He struggles for a moment to get his overblown ego to allow the sentiments he wants to say. "There is _nobody_ as good as protecting you as _me_. I'm the _best_, most _safest_...uh...protector. Yeah. You're safe with me." He nuzzles the black helm pressed against him. "So don't be scared."

Slowly, the purple flier calms, and Thundercracker just listens, ghosting a hand along the other's wing.

At last, Skywarp's vents slow. His systems whirr, soft, powering down, falling asleep in blue arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**Fear and Loathing (in New Kaon)**

**Pairing: **Thundercracker/Skywarp  
**Universe:** TFA  
**Setting:** During and after "Transwarped", no spoilers, really.

Chapter 4! Got a bit of inspiration again.  
In this chapter, Skywarp's insecurities start to rub off on Thundercracker... :D

* * *

"Do you...do you think they've forgotten about us?" Skywarp asks, staring up at the sky mournfully.

Thundercracker doesn't move from where he is lying haphazardly on the dusty, asteroid ground. "Do I think _who_ has forgotten about us?" he grumbles, optics narrowing at nothing.

"Our brothers. And sister. And...and Starscream," the purple clone replies, arms wrapped around his knees. His optic twitches a little before adding "And...M-Megatron. The other Decepticons."

"Who cares?" Thundercracker snarls, raising his arms up hopelessly before letting them drop dramatically.

Skywarp considers this a moment, before shuffling a little and tucking his face into his raised knees. "_I_ care," he says, in a small voice.

At this, Thundercracker stands abruptly, marching towards the younger clone with fury flickering on his faceplates. "What, am I not good enough for you, glitch?" he growls, fists clenched. "You should be _honoured_ to be in my presence! I am superior to every one of our 'relatives', as you insist on calling them! _Including_ you!" he finishes nastily.

"You're...perfect?" the purple clone praises the elder staring down at him, not quite convinced with his own words. He gulps, trembling more out of habit than real fear. "I...I like you better than them. Really! Y-you protect me. And stuff. B-but...they _are_ our fellow clones. Nobody else is gonna come rescue u-"

"STOP!" barks Thundercracker, raising a hand. "Don't continue that line of thought. It always leads to you _panicking_ like the _pathetic_ turbo-chicken you are." Skywarp looks down at the ground, sighing deeply. The elder, blue flier looks down at the worried mech with a frown, before seating himself close next to him.

"Littlest clone," Thundercracker continues softly, "I _will_ figure out a way to get us off this accursed asteroid. Our brothers and sister are too selfish to care about us. For all we know, they already consider us dead."

"D-dead?!" Skywarp squeals, raising his fists to cover his mouth.

The blue seeker rolls his optics. "Yes, but we're not, are we," he pauses, thinking, before muttering (mostly to himself) "but they might be..."

Instantly, cleansing fluid is pooling in Skywarp's big, round optics.

"_Might_, I said MIGHT, slaggit!" Thundercracker repeats, smacking Skywarp lightly on the head. "Stupid sparkling..." The tears begin to roll down the purple face staring up at him. Skywarp's lip begins to wobble, little sniffly noises starting to emanate from his vocal unit.

Thundercracker puts his face in his palms. "_Ohhh_, Primus..."

* * *

Neither of them have much concept of time, abandoned as they are on the remote asteroid. However, Thundercracker's chronometer tells him he has been holding his sniffling little brother, rocking him back and forth, for more than five hours now. Finally, Skywarp has settled down, curled up in the blue clone's arms, occasionally making miserable clicks and chirps.

"Do you...think they've f-forgotten us?" Skywarp asks again.

The blue flier sighs deeply. "I don't know," he admits. "I may have the superior processor, but I'm not psychic, alright?"

The purple clone nods, glad that he is not the only one feeling lost and uncertain. They hold each other, purple and blue together, for a long while in silence, before again, Thundercracker speaks, voice missing all of its usual haughtiness. "I'm...I'm too good to be forgotten...right?...Right?"

"Mhm," Skywarp agrees quietly, placating the elder. After all, Thundercracker _is_ braver than him.

"You won't forget me?" Thundercracker presses on, nipping with his dental plating at Skywarp's helm. "Even if they forget us, you won't forget me, right?"

"Never," smiles the younger, nipping back at the blue neck cautiously. "...brother."

* * *


End file.
